A new and correct sea chart of the whole world shewing the variations of the compass as they were found in the year M.D.CC.

1 chart on 2 sheets. Hand coloured engraving, on modern backing sheets.
Scale: [circa 1:35,000,000]. Mercator projection chart with an inset of the north pole.

Contains five cartouches: the English title on South America; the Latin title, on North America, has female personifications of astronomy, navigation and geometry; to the left of it a cartouche in an architectural frame contains Latin text celebrating the invention of the magnetic compass; on Asia there is a Latin dedication to Queen Anne; and on Africa an English dedication to Prince George of Denmark.

A text box over the Pacific Ocean reads: The curve lines which are drawn over ye seas in this chart, shew the variation of the compass in all the known seas, the double lines divide the tracts of east and west variation and under ym the compass stands true without varying. In any other place, the degree of variation is seen by the number on the line that passes over that place. I durst not presume to describe the curves of the South Sea wanting accounts thereof.

(A) West hemisphere, (B) East hemisphere.

Object Details

ID: G201:1/1A
Collection: Charts and maps
Type: Chart
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Mount & Page; Halley, Edmond
Places: World
Date made: 1702
Exhibition: Ships, Clocks & Stars: The Quest for Longitude
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Printed area of each 52.5 x 62cm, on sheet 57 x 69cm.